Ageing, health inequalities and the welfare state: A multilevel analysis. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Högberg, Björn; Strandh, Mattias; Baranowska-Rataj, Anna; Sevä, Ingemar Johansson
• Is Part Of: Journal of European social policy. Volume 28:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 311
• Page End: 325
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: Health equity -- LLSI -- social class -- social gradient -- subjective health; Europe -- Social policy -- Periodicals; Social policy -- Periodicals; European Economic Community countries -- Social policy -- Periodicals; 361.6109405
• DOI: 10.1177/0958928717739234
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9287

Abstract

Comparative studies of health inequalities have largely neglected age and ageing aspects, while ageing research has often paid little attention to questions of social inequalities. This article investigates cross-country differences in gradients in self-rated health and limiting long-standing illness (LLSI) in middle-aged and in older people (aged 50–64 and 65–80 years) linked to social class, and degrees to which the social health gradients are associated with minimum pension levels and expenditure on elderly care. For these purposes, data from the European Social Survey (2002–2010) are analysed using multilevel regression techniques. We find significant cross-level interaction effects between class and welfare policies: higher expenditure on elderly care and particularly more generous minimum pensions are associated with smaller health inequalities in the older age group (65–80 years). It is concluded that welfare policies moderate the association between social class and health, highlighting the importance of welfare state efforts for older persons, who are strongly reliant on the welfare state and welfare state arrangements such as pensions and care policies.